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Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Hamanaka in the Philippines

I am proud to announce that Hamanaka yarn, crochet hooks, and knitting needles are already available in my online store, Gantsilyo Guru Selections.

We are also offering free door-to-door delivery nationwide (in the Philippines) of your Hamanaka for orders that total P1,000 and above!

So why did I bring Hamanaka to the Philippines?

I think I've asked myself this question a million times before I decided to actually bring Hamanaka to the country. First of all, I've always been curious about this brand. If you've been a crocheter/knitter for quite some time now, you should know those Japanese pattern books we can't get enough of. Most, if not all, of them are actually Hamanaka pattern books.

Even if we can't read Japanese, we still buy these books because the patterns in them use universal crochet symbols. It is hard to resist trying the patterns out simply because they are pretty and functional. Of course, we end up improvising by using whatever yarn is available to us. These books got me intrigued by the actual yarn being used in them and the famous Hamanaka Raku Raku crochet hooks being featured usually at the back flap of the cover. These crochet hooks are regarded worldwide to be one of the best. It's quite the investment, but definitely worth it.

I got to know more about Hamanaka when one of its representatives from Japan visited the country to explore the possibility of introducing its products to the Philippines. Only until that meeting did I realize how established and highly-regarded this brand is in Japan and the rest of the world. Hamanaka is Japan's largest yarn manufacturer. It is known to produce quality materials under strict production standards.

One of Hamanaka's production facilities in Japan (Miyazaki)

I also got overwhelmed by the vast varieties of yarn they have. I got attracted particularly to their variegated yarn (which we call multicolored), or what they usually call yarn with color gradation. They are able to achieve this subtlety in the transition from one shade to another in this kind of yarn. This is something very few get to achieve. And this is where you get to appreciate the attention to detail they put in their production process. Here's an example.

Exclusive design by Hamanaka

This lovely shawlette is made with Hamanaka Claune yarn (available in our store with the exact shade used in this project).

I love how the mishmash of colors worked out. They know how to blend colors and make them look tasteful. The range of yarn I chose for my initial Hamanaka offering is primarily meant to make clothes with - from blouses to shawls or scarves.

Now back to the earlier question on why I brought Hamanaka here. It's simply because I want you to experience Hamanaka. If you want to make a special project - maybe as a treat for yourself or for someone special - give it a try :) I think you will also enjoy working with them - be it one of their crochet hooks or knitting needles.

If you have questions or inquiries about pattern suggestions for a specific Hamanaka yarn that catches your fancy from our store, feel free to email me at gantsilyoguru@gmail.com.

There are actually 3 yarn labels under the Hamanaka brand: Homemade, Hamanaka, and Rich More. You will get to know more about Hamanaka products in future blog entries!

TMA Crochet and Knit Trading is the exclusive distributor of Hamanaka in the Philippines.

Halllooo! I'm Gantsilyo Guru!

"Gantsilyo" is a Filipino word taken from the Spanish word "ganchillo," which means "crochet."

I'm a crocheter from the Philippines! I've been crocheting since high school. My very first crochet project was in home economics class. It was a 3-D christmas tree. Our teacher didn't want to accept my project because she couldn't believe I made it. Since then, I've been hooked!

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